MUSIC OF GUArEMALA. Recorded and Edited by Jacques Jangoux VOL. 2 ETHNIC FOLKWAYS FE 4213 ETHNIC FOLKWAYS FE 4213 SIDE 1 SIDE 2

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2 ETHNIC FOLKWAYS FE 4213 VOL. 2 MUSIC OF GUArEMALA Recorded and Edited by Jacques Jangoux SIDE 1 FIESTA DE NUESTRA SENORA DE LOS ANGELES: NEBAJ IXIL INDIANS 1. Pito, cbirimia and big drum in procession 2. TwO old men singin, in procession 3. Marimba Indian musicians from Nehj 4. Tw. marimbas fr.m near Aguac.!an 5 & 6. Marimba of the "Baile Vaquero" 7. ladino musicians from Colzal playing marimbl S. Drum and pita, '" 9. Drum and pito, #2 10. Bells of the church duria, procession SIDE 2 FIESTA DE SAN MATEO: SAN MATEO IXTATAN CHUJ INDIANS " 2, 3, 4. Violin and,gitar at market, rest.urants.nd bars 5, 6, 7. Marimba, played by 3 musicians at a bar 8. Old woman prayin, in the church 9. Drunk wollan singing at I bar 10. Two marimbas playing at churcb 11. Drum and cbirimia 1973 FOLKWAYS RECORDS AND SERVICE CORP. 17 W. 60th St., N.Y.C., USA DESCRIPTIVE NOTES ARE INSIDE POCKET COVER DESIGN BY RONALD CLYNE COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY JACQUES JANGOUX ETHNIC FOLKWAYS FE 4213

3 ETHNIC FOLKWAYS LIBRARY Album No. FE Folkways Records and Service Corp., 17 W. 60th St., N. Y. C., USA MUSIC OF GUATEMALA/ VOL. 2 MEXICO SA",'., e"' I!:;~A" GUAT MA LA.u,.,..,~ -AGv,fC.4TA'N jjueh(.in'aj~"'g. ~ e/'jahiiall op SAW ft,r. LA.. ~.,. MUSIC OF GUATEMALA Recorded in 1964 by Jacques Jangoux editing, notes, and photographs by Jacques Jangoux. The music presented in this album is typical of rural Guatemala. 1bst of the inhabitants of this area are Ind.ians of Mayan descent, but almost everywhere in the Guatemalan countryside one can also find Ladinos: persons, of whatever descent, who speak Spanish in their homes and have adopted the Ladino way-of-life, which is mostly Spanish. 1bstly ---because both the cultures of rural Guatemala are the result of the confrontation over several centuries of two very different civilizations, the indegenous Mayan, and the Western, introduced by the Spanish in the 16th century. Both cultures have borrowed traits from the other, and this is nowhere more evident than in their music, which is a mixture of European, Indian, and perhaps also African elements. 1 Physically Guatemala may be divided into three areas: 1) the tropical Northern Lowlands, where the Mayan civilization reached its peak, but now sparsely inhabited; 2) the temperate Central Highlands, the home of most of the present-day Indians; and 3) the tropical lowlands of the Pacific Coast, the site of intensive banana and coffee cultivation. The Indians of the highlands live in scattered settlements. The mountainous terrain makes communication difficul t and life is usually hard. The men farm, working corn and bean fields on the mountain slopes, corn being the staple in their diet. The women usually remain at home, attending to domestic chores like cooking, spinning co""on, and weaving. The poor communication has tended to isolate the

4 villages, allowing each to retain its own identity. Each village has its own patterns of cloth, for example, and often even its own "personality" and psychology. All villagers are usually alike, however, in their sayness and distrust of foreigners -- perhaps because all are isolated, perhaps because all known, but it may have come rrom Africa with the negro slaves. Other popular instruments are the chirimia, a double reed wind instrument like an oboe; and the pi to, a kind of flute. Both are usually accompanied by one or two drums, which can be of various sizes. The dancers in the "bailes" usually have gourd rattles, sometimes replaced (as in Todos Santos) by bells. In a few villages, the Indians manufacture and play violins and guitars. The selections presentea 1n this album are mostly Indian, with a few Ladino pieces. The Indians are all Maya, and belong to the Tzutuhil, lxil, Mam, Chuj, and Chorti linguistic groups. Jacques Jangoux MUSIC OF GUATEMALA - Album 2 Notes on the recordings Side 1 (A) Ch, r IIVl' o. pla.:je..r- From No..hUQla. or So.n-to Co..tQrlhCl, :LX.To..hUa.CQI'I J Ii) Sat'\ :JUQI1 La La,guV'lO.. have experienced a long period of colonization and oppression. The isolation of the villagers is broken by two things: going to market, often in other villages or towns, where they meet people from allover the country; and going to work in the coffee or banana plantations on the Pacific Coast where most Indians work for several months of the year. ~ - Population: lxil Indians. Date of recording: August 13, 14, 15, 1964 Circumstance of recording: Fiesta de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles (August 8 through 15) ~: Pito, chirimi'a and big drum carried on a man's back in a procession. Band 2: Two old men singing, later in the same process ion. ~: Marimba (Indian musicians from Ne1;laj) While music is a part of the Indians' everyday life, it is only during the fiestas that they fully express their musical heritage. Then the air is everywhere full of music. At least once a year every village has a big fiesta lasting several days, usually celebrating the patron saint of the village. There may also be additional festivals at other dates to celebrate other occasions, usually religious. Most of their music is therefore associated in the Indians' mind with religion, and has a religious character. Festivals follow a typical pattern. There are processions through the street of the village, often accompanied by musicians. Another common feature are "bailes," plays in which dialogue and dancing al ternate, performed by masked dancers. Many of these bailes, as for instance the best known, the "Baile de la Conquista," were written by Spanish missionaries to replace in Catholic religious festivals the dances that the Maya performed during their religious festivals. Every festival is also accompanied by praying and burning of incense in the church, the firing of "cohetes" (fireworks or rockets), and drinking and dancing to marimba music at the cantinas (bars) where aguardiente (sugar cane alcohol) is sold. Guatemalan music is sometimes vocal and, more often, instrumental. Guatemalans consider the marimba their national instrument. It is a large wooden xylophone with resonators, usually played by three or four musicians, although a small one may be played by only one person. The origin of the marimba is un- 2 ry\cl y-,'\'vi b a ) So..ifl ~+e.o) l.><.t-mg... h

5 Band 4: Two marimbas from near AguacatBn. Bands 5 and 6: Marimba of the "Baile Vaquero" also called "Baile del Tori to". The rattles of the dancers are heard, as well as the sound of exploding cohetes (rockets or fireworks). lliidll1: Ladino musicians from Cotzal playing marimba at a bar, for social dancing. Mostly couples of Indian men were dancing. This is typical Ladino music. Band 8: Drum and pi to. Cohetes are heard in the background. ~: Drum and pito (the musicians are not the same as in band 8). Band 10: Bells of the church during a procession around the market place, in front of the church. Numerous cohetes. Side 2 (B) SAN MATEO IXTATAN - Population: Chuj Indians. Date of recording: September 19, 20, 21, 1964 Circumstance of recording: Fiesta de San Mateo (September 18 through 22). Bands : Marimba (:3 musicians) playing at one of the cantinas (bars) where the Indians go during the festival to drink aguardiente and dance. Band 8: Old woman praying in the church. She was holding several candles in each hand. Bands : Violin and guitar from the neighboring village, Santa Eulalia. They were playing at the market and at the comedores (restaurants) and bars for 5 cents a tune. Other musicians were seen playing violin and guitar in a procession. ~: Drunk woman singing at one of the cantinas. Marimba music is heard in the background. Band 10: Band 11: Two marimbas (4 + J musicians) playing in front of the church. Drum and chirimia. I Jacques Jangoux MUSIC OF GUATEMALA - Album 2 Notes on t ne recordings Side 1 (A) ~ - Population: Ixil Indians. Date of recording: August 13, 14, 15, 1964 Circumstance of recording: Fiesta d~ Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles (August 8 through 15) Band 1: Pito, chirimta and big drum carried on a man's back in a procession. Band 2: Two old men Singing, later in the same procession. Band 3: Marimba (Indian musicians from Nebaj) Ba."1d 4: Two marimbas from near Aguacatllll. 3

6 Bands 5 and 6: Marimba of the "Baile Vaquero" also called "Baile del Torito". The rattles of the dancers are heard, as well as the sound of exploding cohetes (rockets or fireworks). Band '1: Ladino musicians from Cotzal playing marimba at a bar, for social d~~cing. Mostly cou~les of Indian men were dancing. This is typical Ladino music. Bend 8~ Drum and pito. Cohetes are heard in the backgrou1d. Band 9: Drum and pito (the musicians are not the same as in band 8) Band 10: Bells of t~e c~urch during a procession around the market place, in front of t~e church. Numerous cohetes. Side 2 (B) SAN MATEO IXTATAN - Population: Chuj Indians. Date of recording: September 19, 20, 21, 1964 Circu~stance of recording: Fiesta de San Mateo (September 18 through 22). Bands 1, 2, 3. 4: Violin and guitar from the neighboring village, Santa Eulalia. They were playin~ at the market and at the comedores (restaurants) and bars for 5 cents a tune. Other musicians were seen playing violin and guitar in a procession. Bands 5. 6, 7: Marimba (3 musicians) playing at one of the cantinas (bars) where t he Indians go during t~e festival to drink aguardiente and dance. Band 8: Old woman praying in t he c'mrch. She was holding several c~,dles in each hand. Band 9: Drunk woman Singing at one of t he cantinas. Marimba music is heard in the background. Band 10: Two marimbas (4 + 3 musicians) playing in front of the churc~. Band 11: Drum and chirimia. 4 LITHO IN U.S.A. ~'"